A quick look at MSI's OPTIX MPG27CQ display at CES

MSI have created a high-end FreeSync display

A quick look at MSI's OPTIX MPG27CQ display at CES

One of MSI's highlights of CES is their new Optix MPG27CQ display, which offers support for Adaptive Sync, a resolution of 1440p and a refresh rate of 144Hz using a curved VA panel.

What excites us about this new model is not the fact that it is a new FreeSync display, or even that it offers a high resolution and refresh rate, but because MSI has shown a willingness to take a bold step in a new direction by providing support for SteelSeries GameSense. GameSense is a new technology that allows lights on the display's bezel to be synced to in-game activities, showcasing things like health, clip capacity in an FPS and other factors that could otherwise benefit from an additional visual cue.

With support for Adaptive Sync, tilt, swivel and height adjustments, VESA mounts and both HDMI 2.0 (2x) and DisplayPort 2.0 inputs this display offers almost everything that gamers could ask for, except for HDR. Even so wit support for 100% of the NTSC colour Gamut, this monitor will still offer a great visual experience.

The only big concern about this display is that its price tag may be a turn off for some users, given its support for rear RGB backlighting and its potentially expensive implementation fo Steelseries GameSense. Even so, this is an undeniable step into the big leagues of PC display making, which is great news for MSI.

Looking at the specifications of this display it may be able to conform with the VESA DisplayHDR 400 standard, though this is the lowest form of HDR that VESA currently covers, offering the most basic support imaginable, which is not a worthy upgrade over SDR in our opinion.

MSI has been working with Steelseries for quite some time, particularly within their laptop division on their integrated keyboard designs, making MSI the perfect partner for the company's GameSense technology.

GameSense lets user program the RGB lighting on their display to react to certain notifications, which can include reactions to apps like discord. These features have worked with Steelseries RGB keyboards in the past, but this is the first time that the feature has been available on a monitor.

With Steelseries GameSense, RGB LED will not just be a fancy decoration, it helps your gameplay as well. By synching with your in-game activities, it can display vital details of your game through the LED effects. That way you'll get a full grip on your game and your most important stats in a blink of an eye.

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